Windham Little League’s Beacon Environmental steadily shows improvement

By Matt Pascarella

Although Windham Little League’s 13 to 15-year-old Beacon Environmental baseball team lost 18-8 against Gray New-Gloucester at Windham on Monday, July 17, they put up a good fight and showed they have improved as the end of the season nears.

Windham Little League's Lucas Vance of Beacon
Environmental swings and hits a triple during a
game against Gray New Gloucester at Windham
on Monday, July 17.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

Beacon Environmental kept it close with Gray New-Gloucester for the first two innings, but Gray New-Gloucester had a big third inning and took the lead. Beacon Environmental’s defense kept them to one run in the fourth inning and ended multiple innings with Gray New-Gloucester runners stranded on base.

“The kids were more excited, they had more time to get some batting practice in before this game,” said Windham Beacon Environmental coach John Cressey. “That motivated them, and it gave them something to build off of so when they came into the game, they had their rhythm.”

Cressey said Windham pitched to contact, they were pounding the zone, they were keeping batters on their heels. Windham was aggressive at the plate, and this turned into one of the higher scoring games of the season. Cressey said they were cheering each other on a little more and morale increased once some runs were scored. It’s tough when there are errors in the field, but you get past it, move on and continue to build on it.

In the first inning, Windham sophomore Harley Hinton Jr. was hit by a pitch. A walk and eighth grader Dakota Winkler singled and Hinton Jr. scored. Eighth grader Brooke Brown walked, and freshman Lucas Vance tripled which brought in Winkler and Brown. Eighth grader Jordan Tom singled and Vance scored.

“All together I think we did pretty good, but there were a few errors, and we can improve,” said Vance.

Vance said his hitting has gotten better and the team’s morale was improved from its last game.

Windham eighth graders Aiden Pennington and Zach Gaudet both walked in the second inning. Hinton Jr. singled; Winkler doubled, and Hinton Jr. scored. Brown singled and Gaudet and Winkler scored.

Winkler, Brown and Vance all got 2 RBIs during the game. Tom had one RBI.

Tom said hitting and pitching had improved during this game. Tom thought he did alright against Gray New Gloucester as he hit the ball, caught fly balls hit his way and ran the bases well.

Gray New-Gloucester put six runs on the scoreboard in the third inning.

Hinton Jr. walked in the fifth inning. Gaudet singled. Eighth grader Aiden Rinaldi and Brown walked. Hinton Jr. scored on a wild pitch.

Winkler said the team’s batting had improved from last game and there were less errors; pitching was good, and Windham got on base. They are more confident as a team. <